Access Type

Open Access Dissertation

Date of Award

January 2025

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Lars U. Johnson

Second Advisor

Boris Baltes

Abstract

Despite the advancement of research on microaggressions, their impact on employees’ emotional well-being and behavior remains unclear (Fattoracci & King, 2023). In response, I examine the associations between microaggressions, hurt feelings, and counterproductive work behaviors (i.e., withdrawal and production deviance). Additionally, I consider racial representation as a potential moderator. Drawing upon social identity theory, social categorization theory, and the Stressor-Emotion Model, I argue that microaggressions lead to hurt feelings, prompting employees to engage in counterproductive work behaviors as a coping mechanism (Tajfel & Turner, 1979; Tajfel et al., 1971; Spector & Fox, 2005). Furthermore, I argue that the positive indirect relationship between microaggressions and counterproductive work behaviors is likely to be weaker in organizations with greater racial representation. Results revealed that the relationship between microaggressions and hurt feelings was positive and significant. However, the positive indirect effect between microaggressions and withdrawal deviance through hurt feelings was nonsignificant. Interestingly, the positive indirect relationship between microaggressions and production deviance through hurt feelings was found to be significant. These findings underscore the importance of addressing emotional distress in the workplace, as unresolved hurt feelings can disrupt employees’ productivity. Additionally, the results revealed that racial representation did not moderate the relationship between microaggressions and hurt feelings, suggesting that the perception of diversity alone does not mitigate the negative impact of microaggressions.

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